Archangel
by Deadman on Wheelz
Summary: Behold a pale horse. The man who sat upon him was Death. And Hell followed with him.


The Crow: Archangel   
By:   
[Joe Pearson][1] ( merlyn@brokersys.com )   
  


It was an unusually hot day for September. I was in English class daydreaming, when all of a sudden something pelted me in the eye. "Hey, kiddo," a voice said. It was my friend, Kelly. She was my friend for years. 

She always looked at me as a brother. I always wanted more, but she had Allen. She was happy and in love, so I let it be. "What was that for?" I asked. "I just felt like it," Kelly teased. "Oh, you did, huh." I took a ball of paper and flung it at her. 

In the lunchroom, Eddie and I were babbling over the usual stuff. Well, at least Eddie was. He was a tall dark-haired kid who was into movies… really into movies. He was discussing the latest Speilberg flick when he noticed my mind was elsewhere. I was silently watching Kelly and Allen, mostly Kelly. 

She had long red hair with blonde streaks. She was a beautiful girl with an amazing body. She was a member of the drill team at school and had developed a beautiful pair of long, athletic legs. She had a smile that drove me nuts and every time she smiled at me, I felt great. I loved her. "Jack, you know she's hooked on Allen," said Eddie. "Yeah, I know," I said, "but it still hurts." 

A few weeks later, I went to Kelly's house to pick up a couple CDs I had lent her. She lived a two-story house. I had gone there so often that her parents even had a room set up for me. It was my second home. 

I knocked on the door and her dad answered. He was a mild-mannered guy, around forty, and was pretty stalky. Instead of his usual smile, however he had a frown on his face and his skin was pale. 

"What's the matter?" I asked. "Something's wrong, Jack," Kelly's dad replied, "Kelly came home today in hysterics and won't tell us what's wrong." "Can I try, Mr. Fredrick?" I asked. "Go ahead." 

I walked upstairs to her room and noticed her door was shut. She never used to close her door. "Kelly," I said, "it's Jack. Are you okay?" "I'm fine," she sobbed. "Can I come in?" I asked. She slowly opened the door and pulled me into her room. I always loved going in there. She always burned scented candles that had a calming effect on me, but this time I was too worried. 

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, but something else caught my eye. There was a cut on Kelly's bottom lip. "What happened, Kel?" I implored. "He hit me," whimpered Kelly, "The pig hit me!" She buried her head in my shoulder and let out a heavy sob. "Who hit you, darling?" I asked. She hesitated, "I…I can't." She had the look of absolute terror on her face. 

"Hey," I said letting our eyes meet, "it's alright. Tell me." "Allen did it," she finally said. The anger began to build inside me. "Why?" She sat back on her bed and told her story. 

"When we started dating, Allen was so nice and loving, but when we got serious, he got jealous of other boys and then he started to get violent. He calls me these awful names and…." Then Kelly broke down again. "Then today," she sobbed, "I found him in bed with another girl!" 

She collapsed into my arms started to cry again. I hated to see her in pain. It ripped through me like a razorblade. "Leave him, Kelly," I pleaded. "I've tried," she insisted, "but he said he'd kill me if I tried." "Damn it, Kelly," I said, "why didn't you ask me for help?" 

I wanted to scream and beat Allen to a pulp. "You don't understand," she said, "He especially doesn't like you, because…" Then she stopped. "What, Kelly?" I asked. "He knows I don't love him anymore," she said, "and that I…I love you." Those words sent a shock through my body. 'You love me?" I asked with a hopeful voice. "I always have," she said. With that, we kissed for the first time as lovers. 

Later on that night, we made love. I still can remember the taste of her sweet lips, the feel of her soft skin, the way she smelled like strawberries, and how safe and happy I felt to finally be in Kelly's arms. 

The next few months were great. When we made our relationship public, we received mixed reactions. Eddie, my parents, and Kelly's parents said things like "It's about time." It's one reaction, however that scared Kelly and I both. 

We had finally worked up enough courage to confront Allen. He lived in a very classy home and had a pretty nice family. Allen, on the other hand, was anything but. He was in to drugs, stealing, had a police record longer than my arm, and had a psychotic temper to match. 

He was in his garage with his friends drinking and working on one of his motorcycles. Allen's friends were three of the most unsavory characters the school had. The first was Walt Westen. Walt was a starter on the football team and was the muscle of the group. He also used steroids pretty heavily, but his coaches were too greedy for wins to say anything. 

The second was Ray de la Fleur. He was Allen's cousin. Ray was expelled for almost beating his least favorite teacher to death with a crowbar. The guy also had a knack for mutilating animals. 

The last was Jason Paulsen. He was a spoiled rich boy who was all mouth and no action. The only reason Allen allowed Jason to hang out with the group was that the group needed drug money and Jason was loaded with it. When we walked in, I thought I'd lose my lunch. Kelly was shaking so bad, I thought she would chicken out too. 

Allen was tinkering with his bike when he caught sight of us. He wasn't tall, but his muscular build was intimidating enough. "Hello, Kelly," he said. 

The look in his eyes said he still was hurt from when Kelly dumped him. We had gone there that day, because from the day Kelly split from Allen, Kelly had been receiving little "gifts" from an anonymous person. These included threatening letters, dead bodies of animals, and the thing that scared us the most. It was a drawing of Kelly with her head cut off. 

"What's up, Conners?" he said, shooting an ice-cold glare at me. "We need to talk, Allen," Kelly said, almost in a whisper. Allen escorted us into the house and to the dinning room. The house was average on the outside, but the inside was covered with high-priced paintings and statuettes. Allen's parents were so worried about social status it was pathetic. 

"What's this about?" Allen asked. I had a feeling he knew what was going to be ask. I handed him the drawing, practically shoving it at him. "What the hell is this?" I demanded. Allen haphazardly glanced at the picture and gave it back. "Nice picture," he commented, "Not my style, though. A little too gory."   
"What's that picture got to do with me?" 

"Well," I said, ", we've been getting some nice little presents just like that one." I stepped closer so our eyes could meet. "What we just can't figure out," I continued, ", is who sent them." 

The silence was deafening. Allen knew I had caught him, but his calm manner never changed. He had never had trouble hiding emotions. 

"You know, Jack," said Allen, "You really shouldn't go around making unwarranted accusations. It could get you hurt." Allen and I spent a moment staring each other down before Kelly begged that she and I leave. 

When we were leaving, I couldn't shake the feeling that Allen was up to something. "I know something's going on," I said to Kelly, "I just can't figure out what." "Let's just forget about it," insisted Kelly, "We're probably just paranoid." 

This felt like a little more than paranoia though. There was a nagging feeling in my gut that was telling me otherwise. I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn't even notice a big black crow following us from high above. 

At that same moment, Allen was formulating the final stage of his plan. Everyone, but Kelly and I had a picture of Allen being a squeaky clean prep. His parents forked out enough money to keep his record a secret and none of the police had balls enough to speak up. We were the only ones who could see through his mask and he hated us for it. 

Allen walked into the garage and got a beer out of his cooler. "Gentlemen," he said his gang, "It's time that we teach Mr. Conners and Miss Fredrick a lesson.' Ray was looking at a Playboy magazine, but his mind was on the plan. That was why he was the lieutenant of the group. He and Allen were always on the same wavelength. "Do we kill them now or wait?" he asked. "Wait," Allen replied, "If we do it now, we raise suspicions." Besides, he knew the perfect time to do it and he was going to enjoy every minute. 

One month later… 

It was my birthday. I loved birthdays, but what made this one special was Kelly was going to be there. My parents wanted to throw a party, but I wanted to keep it simple. I was eating breakfast when my dad came up to me with a small box. "Hey, Jack," he said, "I've got something for you." He tossed me a black velvet box. Inside was a silver chain with a religious medal on it. "It's a St. Michael medal," explained Dad. 

"The archangel that drove the Devil out of heaven," I said to myself, "Why? "When you got Kelly out of that bad situation with Allen," said Dad, "I found it a fitting gift." "Thanks, Dad," I said. He walked over and gave me a big hug. "Happy birthday, son."   
Later that day, I went to get my present from Kelly. When I walked to her door, I noticed it was unlocked. 

I was a little worried until I walked into the house. I noticed a trail of rose petals on the floor that lead up the stairs. There was a note tapped to the banister. "Follow them," it said. I walked upstairs and detected the scent of perfume. "Kelly," I called, "It's Jack. I came to pick up my pre__" My statement was cut of as I stepped into the candle-lit room. There was Kelly, in bra and panties, lying on the bed. The candlelight accented her tanned and slender body. "It's time to unwrap your present," she said in a sultry voice. Man, did I love birthdays. 

That night, Eddie took Kelly and I to Rick's, our favorite restaurant. We talked and laughed. Eddie and I even got into a mini-food fight. Kelly was laughing then entire time. Happy and unaware. If I knew then what I know now, maybe… Anyway, we were driving home when Eddie noticed a black van following us with its headlights turned off. "Who the hell is that?" asked Eddie asked. "I don't know," I answered, ", but they seem a little too interested in us. I'm going to try to lose them." I gradually sped up the car when the van's headlights came on. 

It began to speed up and hit the rear of the car. "What the…?" Another hit. I started to loss control of the car. The last thing I remember is everyone screaming as the van pulled up next to us, slamming into us and me blacking out as the car flipped over and over. 

When I came to, a fist greeted me across the face. "Good morning, Starshine," said a mocking male voice. As my vision cleared, I saw Allen looking at me with an evil grin on his face. He had brought me to an abandoned apartment building that was in a bad part of town. A gagging smell of urine and vomit permeated the building. The room itself was small. Its brownish walls were crumbling with age and there was a sound of water dripping from a leak in the roof. The room had no furniture except for the chair I was tied to. 

"Where are they?" I moaned. "Oh, you mean Kelly and Eddie?" asked Allen. "Kelly's fine," said Allen said answering his own question, ", but young Mr. Gonzales was a little uncooperative, so we just killed him at the crash site." I couldn't believe what I had heard. That psycho had killed my best friend in cold-blood. Blinded by rage, I tried to get up, but Allen punched me in the jaw, knocking the chair and I back on to the floor. "Sit down!" snapped Allen. 

"Get in there," yelled a voice on the other side of the door. The door flew open and Walt came in with Kelly staggering in front of him. Kelly's face was soaked with tears and her once beautiful blue dress was torn to shreds. The look on her face told me of what they had done. "Hi, kids," said Allen, "Did we have a little fun in there?" Walt replied with a perverted grin. 

Walt then grabbed Kelly by the hair and threw her to the floor. I would have done anything to hold Kelly and tell her everything was going to be okay, but as I looked down into Kelly's eyes, I knew she was thinking what I was thinking. We both knew we were going to die. "I love you," Kelly mouthed. Before I could answer, there was a gun shot and the left side of Kelly's head exploded. "NO!! YOU BASTARD!!!" I got up and tried to charge Allen. Screaming like a madman, I leapt forward. Allen effortlessly reamed and blasted me in the chest. It felt like a sledgehammer hit me, but I still staggered forward. Then Walt pulled out his pistol and fired twice, hitting me in the throat and forehead. 

When I fell to the floor, they untied me from the chair. When you die, you don't blackout right away. I could still see and hear. I heard the faint sounds of the rest of Allen's gang coming into the room. Then I saw them laughing and pointing as they basked in their sick idea of glory. 

Then everything went black. For what seemed like forever, I began to have a horrible dream. I began to descend into darkness then I saw men and women clawing at each other in agony. The smell of burning flesh was sickening. "Am I in hell?" I thought. Then one of the moaning creatures came towards me with a shaking and pale hand. The creatures flesh dangled from its bones. "HELP ME!!" it screamed. Then I awoke. 

Five years later… 

When I opened my eyes, there was total darkness. I could barely move or breathe. "Where am I?" I thought. As I tried to move, an earthworm crawled across my bare arm. The feel of the slimy creature made me even more scared. Then I realized where I was. I was buried alive! "My god," I thought, "I've got to get out of here!" I began to feel like my crowded surroundings were closing in on me. 

My heartbeats became more rapid. The fear in me seemed to fuel my strength. I extended my right arm, bursting through the heavy soil. Then I pushed myself upward. Somehow, I was able to pull myself out of that deep pit which was covered by six feet of thick, brown earth. The air rushing through my lungs never felt so good. Letting out a low moan, I staggered from the pit. 

"I was wondering when you would wake," said a voice from behind me. When I turned around, a figure stepped out from the shadows. I couldn't tell what it was. All I knew was it was tall, around 6'5", wore clothes that looked like they came from an old west movie, and had a skull where a head should be. 

A brown duster and a large black cowboy hat topped off the cowboy's outfit. "What the hell are you?" I stuttered. "Think of me as your guide," said the cowboy, "I am here to assist you in your quest." "What quest?" I asked. "The quest to avenge your death." The answer felt so ridiculous that I couldn't help it but to laugh. "I can't be dead," I laughed. 

"Yes you are, Jack." My laughter suddenly faded when I realized he wasn't joking. This wasn't possible. This went against all logic. Everything I was brought up to believe was brought into question. "How?" I asked, "It's not possible. When people die, they can't come back." 

I began to pace the ground. This had to be a bad joke. That was it, a sick joke set up by Allen. I would be able to go home after all of this was over. "All right, bonehead," I said, "The joke's over, you've had your laughs now let me go home!" 

The cowboy shook his solemnly. "I wish I could," he said, ", but I can't." "What do you mean, you can't!" I yelled. I was so angry, I couldn't think straight. I grabbed the cowboy by the collar and slammed him against a nearby tree. "TAKE ME HOME!!" 

The Skull Cowboy effortlessly grabbed my wrist and threw me against my tombstone. When I hit the stone, my arm broke, but somthng else happened. Pictures in my head, memories, painful memories, screaming, gunshots, blood, and my mom crying at my funeral…my funeral. 

As each image hit me, I convulsed in pain. Each memory was like a knife to my stomach. Then, the most painful one of all hit me. The image of Kelly being rapped by Allen's gang. She screamed for my help, I reached out into the night hoping desperately to change the picture in my head. Then the memories ended. I lied back on the ground and sobbed. 

"Those monsters," I sobbed, "Those freaking monsters killed my friends!" Then I glanced down at my broken arm, and to my surprise, saw and felt the bones set back into place and heal as if nothing happened. "I'm sorry, but you had to see that," said the cowboy said, "After Allen and his group killed you and your friends, they found it easier and easier to destroy other people." 

"How long have I been dead?" I asked. "Five years," said a voice. Startled, I turned around to see a large crow perched on the branch of a tree. "Did you just speak?" I asked the bird. "I'm part of how you got here, slick," it answered. It didn't really speak. It was like it was sending its thoughts to me. "What do you mean?" "He's your link to the afterlife, Jack," explained the cowboy, "He brought you back to the life and is the source of your power." "My power?" I asked. "Yes," the cowboy said, "With the crow's help, you can neither be killed nor hurt." 

This was a little too bizarre to handle. Besides, I didn't want to be a walking dead guy, but something inside me…the pain that Allen caused. The images in my head. They all said I couldn't rest until my murderers paid. "What do I have to do?" I asked. "Follow the crow," said the cowboy, "He will show you the way." With that, the Skull Cowboy stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. "Come on, kid," said the crow, "we've got things to do." The crow flew off his perch and out of the cemetery, with me following after. 

The crow was remarkably fast. The way he glided through the air was almost hypnotic. The power that the crow gave me was pretty amazing too. I'd run faster then I ever remember running, keeping perfect pace with the bird. The crow took me through small alleyways and backstreets, we must have ran ten miles before we finally reached my neighborhood then my house. I didn't even break a sweat. 

Five years changed a lot of things. From the outside, the house looked horrible. The once white exterior was now covered with brown spots and all the windows were busted. When I passed by the flowerbed, a memory hit me. My mother talking and laughing while tending to her roses. I was five years old. "Now, Jacky, all we have to do is plant this seed and after a while, that seed will be a big flower." "Okay, Mommy." It's funny how the happiest memories hurt the most. 

The front door was bolted shut, but with my newly found strength, I was able to break the lock with incredible ease. The house was completely empty. As I entered the house, a tidal wave of memories hit. My birthdays, the time Eddie brought a snake into the house. "Eddie, get that thing out of here before mom-" "Ahhhh!" "Nevermind." 

"Jack," said the crow, "we've got things to do. Lets go."   
  


The crow led me to our basement. When I was small, I used to think the basement was a haunted house that hid monsters and demons. Even as I grew older I didn't dare go down there alone. This time though, the cold and the darkness never felt safer. Beneath the cobwebs and dust, I found an old wooden chest. Inside were some old clothes that I immediately changed into. The black woolen sweater was a perfect fit. I found my dads old military boots. As I put on each garment, I began to put on a new personality. Black was the color of death and that's exactly who was coming for my killers.   
I took a pair of black jeans and my old biker jacket and put those on. Along with the clothes, I found some old Halloween makeup. An unexplainable urge came over me and I took the white base paint and spread it all over my face. I then took the black eye pencil and colored my eye sockets. I drew black tears under running down both cheeks, and finally, I took the black lipstick and drew an evil smile across my lips. My face of death was complete. 

I took my burial clothes and threw them into the furnace. Jack Conners was dead. Only The Crow remained. "Who's our first target?" asked the crow. "Jason Paulsen." The crow left its perch atop the wooden chest and left the basement while I followed suit. The hunt was on. 

We found Jason in his sixth story office at Paulsen Industries. Apparently, Jason took over the company after his father died under "questionable circumstances". 

I was able see and hear Jason through the crow and still stay well hidden. Jason was on the phone and sounded angry. "I don't care what he said," he yelled, "I want that property and I want it now!" It didn't surprise me. Five years and Jason was still a spoiled asshole. "Can he be bought?" Jason continued, "Well, then you know what to do." Jason slammed down the phone in disgust and sat back down in office chair. "Working late?" Jason jerked around to see me sitting casually on his couch. "What's on the agenda today?" I continued, "Driving a grandmother out of house and home, closing down an orphanage, blackmailing the pope?" 

"Who are you?" Jason stuttered, "How'd you get in here?" I got up and shook my head. "I'm hurt, J," I said with mock sadness, "You don't even remember your old classmate." The dumb look on his face was classic. "You still don't remember, do you?" I jumped behind the desk and grabbed him by his tie. " Look closer." Jason squinted his eyes. After a moment, it finally registered. Jason went as white as a ghost. "C-Conners?" he stuttered. An evil laugh rose in my throat and a manic grin spread across my face. "That's right, Jason." I pulled Jason from his seat and slammed him against the wall. Before he could crawl away, I grabbed him by the hair and jerked him to his feet. 

Jason was babbling obscenities and wet himself. "Don't kill me please," he whined, "I'm begging you!" 

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "You're begging me?" I hissed. Pictures of Eddie began to flash in my head. Pictures of Eddie being shot five times in the back, pleading his life only moments before. "Please no don't kill me!" Five shots. "Just like Eddie begged you?" Jason began to cry like a baby. "I didn't have a choice, man," he insisted. "Allen said he'd kill me if I didn't do it!" "YOU"RE A LIAR!" I screamed, "You were a spineless piece of scum who didn't know when to walk away!" 

Jason managed to slip past me and into the hallway. I just calmly walked after him. "How does it feel to know your going to die, Jason?" I asked ominously. I chased Jason into a group of cubicles. 

Somehow Jason had found a letter opener and made one last feeble attempt to fight me. Jason drove the opener right into my chest. At first, he laughed and cheered like a madman. "I got you, you crazy mother," he cheered, "I got you!" But, his laughter turned to a scream of terror as he witnessed me pulling the opener from my body. I laughed as he saw my wound close up as if nothing happened. 

I slammed him against the wall of the cubicle. I took the letter opener in my other hand and looked him dead in the eyes. Without a word, I tilted his head back and slashed his throat from ear to ear. I looked at my feathered companion who seemed to be smiling at me. "Ready to go?" I asked. "Hold up, Jack," said the crow, "your forgetting something." The crow nudged a black marker that was lying on the desk where he was perched. "Your calling card." I grinned at the bird, took the marker, and left my mark on the office wall. A big black crow. "Who's the next lucky stiff?" "Let's go get Walt." 

The crow trailed Walt to The Body Shop, a local gym that he owned. Along with the usual amenities, the gym was also known to sell illegal steroids and other "special benefits." 

I eased my way in through the back door of the gym. Luckily, it was after hours and thanks to my powers, I could move around without being heard. As I worked my way to the front of the gym I detected rustling noises. As I moved farther forward, a wide grin spread across my lips as I saw Walt on a treadmill groping a female employee. Their "activities" were suddenly halted when I purposely let out a small cough. Walt and his companion quickly jerked their heads around. I just stood there with that grin on my face. The red-faced girl then promptly slapped Walt across the face. "Walt I thought you said we were alone!" She then stormed out in a huff. "My goodness, Walt," I commented, "I've heard of personal service, but damn!" 

An angry Walt stepped off the treadmill and grabbed me by the coat. "You've got five seconds to tell me who you are and how you got in here before I crush your damn skull!" "Do you remember five years ago, Walt," I asked, "May 8 to be exact?" 

Confused, Walt just stood there and blankly stared. "What are you talking about?" With an evil grin, I grabbed his head and let him see with my eyes. "Let me refresh your memory!" Kelly screaming. Pain. Tears. "No more, please! Stop it! Jack, help me!" 

When he finally realized who I was, he staggered away with a mix of anger and fear on his face. "No way," he said, "I killed you and your friends." My grin grew wider as I threw him to the floor. "That's right, Walt. You did," I replied, "now I'm back to take you with me." Walt turned red and snorted like a bull. "Like hell you are!" Screaming, Walt charged headlong into me, knocking me to the floor. 

Straddling me, Walt began landing heavy blows to my face. If I had still been mortal, I would have been knocked out by the first punch, but now those punches didn't even phase me. I waited for the right moment then I grabbed his right fist and crushed the bones in his hand and punched in the jaw. I got up and jerked Walt to his feet. I kicked him in the stomach and sent an uppercut to the chin. 

After checking to see if he was unconscious, I dragged him to the office in the back of the gym. I picked him up and sat him in a rollerchair and tied him to it with a telephone cord. "That'll hold him until I figure out what to do with him." After sitting for a few moments, I got the perfect idea. 

I slapped Walt awake and he jerked and mumbled senselessly. "Wake up, meathead." "Where am I," Walt snapped, "untie me right now!" I just laughed mockingly. "I'm sorry, bubba," I laughed, "but you're in no condition to give orders." I took a loaded revolver from my jacket and stroked the barrel. "Oh, by the way, I borrowed your gun." I chuckled evilly. "I hope you don't mind." A look of fear was in Walt's eyes, but he still tried poorly at looking tough. "Don't worry," I said, "I won't kill you." Walt just stared at me dumbly. "That's right," I continued, "In fact, I'll give you a chance to get out of here unharmed." 

"What's the catch?" He asked suspiciously. "The catch is that you have to play a game." "Wha- what kind of game?" I placed the pistol on the desk. "Ever play Russian roulette?" I asked. "The rules are very simple, Walt," I explained, 'If you win, you get to walk out of here alive." 'What if I lose?" Walt asked nervously. I just chuckled. "I don't really have to explain that, do I?" I moved closer to Walt's face. "Come on, Walt," I bated, "Try your luck." With a shaky hand, Walt spun the pistol. For what seem like an eternity, the gun spun round. The normally calm Walt Westen was sweating like a pig. 

Then the gun stopped, pointing right at me. "Well, Walt," I said faking disappointment, "You've beaten me." I put the pistol in Walt's hand and the barrel against my forehead. "Go on and do it." Walt was hessitant, but then he just smiled and pulled the trigger. 

The blast threw me back on to the floor, killing me instantly. With a nervous laugh, Walt stared at my dead body. "Crazy bastard." He was about to walk away when I came to. "Oh, by the way," I said, "Did I mention I can't die?" I pulled a hidden .38 from my back and shot him between the eyes. Using Walt's blood, I left the mark and went on my way after Ray de la Fleur. 

I decided to stop a while and rest on a hilltop halfway between Walt's and Ray's. As sat on the hill, I savored the feel of the wet grass underneath me. Have you ever really enjoyed the feel of grass? The coolness and softness of it. I took so much for granted when living. Even when I thought I was loosening up and having fun, I was always rushing. I never really just stopped and savored the moment. The stars seemed brighter, the breeze felt cooler. I never felt so good. But, then a feeling of hate came over me. Those..things that took my life also took my chance live. They had to pay. 

"Hurts, doesn't it?" said a voice from behind. The Skull Cowboy took a seat next to me on the hill. "Why does it hurt so much?" I asked, "I know I'll be in a better place when this is over, but I still have so much pain inside me." The cowboy just chuckled and patted my knee. "That's a good thing, you know," the cowboy said. "Why's that?" "Because it tells you that still have a soul. You can be cold, young one. I've seen it. The thing that separates you from those like Allen, though, is that you derive no pleasure from the killing itself. The pleasure is from knowing you've given all those restless souls, including yours, some peace." 

The crow's caw told me that it was back from scouting the area for Ray. "Let's go," said the bird. The cowboy and I got up and dusted ourselves off. "Well," I said, "Time to go." The cowboy was about to leave when I touched his shoulder. "Thank you," I said. "Just remember what I said, young one," he replied, "Remember what I said." Then he was gone. 

The crow had found Ray at an establishment called Switchblade's. It was relatively nice looking bar that Ray had "purchased" from its now dead owner. That's how Ray got most things nowadays. Cheating or killing. This night he happened to be sharing a beer with his partner, Allen. "Well what do know," I laughed with an evil smile. Drunk and unobservant, Allen had launched into a story about his latest venture. "..so I say to the guy, I said I'd give you the car. I didn't say how!" Their drunken laughter stopped as I cleared my throat. "Why don't you tell the one about the couple you killed in cold blood, or have you killed so many that it's just too hard to keep track?" 

"Who are you," asked Allen. "You don't remember?" "No," snapped Ray, "but if you don't leave now, I'll kill you where you stand." Ray pulled a 12-gauge shotgun from under the table. I calmly stepped forward and placed my forehead against the barrel. "How about if I stand here?" I asked defiantly. With a confused smirk, Ray cocked the gun. "Suit yourself, freak." The blast made step back a few inches, but other than that, I didn't feel a thing. Open-mouthed and shaking, Ray fired again. Even though the shot hit me perfectly, the wound quickly healed and I kept on coming. 

Allen had run off moments before. I wasn't worried about him. He'd be dead soon enough. I was completely focused on Ray. This once cold and calculating individual was now being reduced to what he truly was…a pathetic coward. Backpedaling away from me, Ray sent off three more shots. "Die, damn it!" he squealed. I leapt forward, grabbing the shotgun in one hand and punching Ray with the other. I pulled Ray to his feet and put the gun in his mouth. "Give my regards to Satan when you get there." I pulled the trigger and a mass of gray matter splattered on the walls. 

After stocking up on weapons from Ray's office. I dumped out all the liquor in the bar and set the place ablaze. The crow and I watched the building and all the evil that was in it burn to ashes. It was time to finish it. It was time to kill Allen. 

It wasn't hard to find Allen. He was held up in the same old house that he was living in when I died. The condition of the house had gone down since it was just Allen living in it now. The paint was chipping on the outside and the foundation was cracked. The once beautiful flowers that his mother had cared for were now gone thanks to the numerous weeds. I guess that home improvement wasn't Allen's style. 

The crow had found Allen hiding in his attic with a rifle. I kicked down the door and marched through the house. "Oh, Allen," I beckoned, "get out here.' I laughed so loud that it shook this house. "It's judgement day." 

Allen crept down from the attic and took position on the staircase. "Who are you, freak?" he questioned. "I am the voice for the ones who cannot speak. The end you gave me was only the beginning. I am your sins revisited." Allen aimed his rifle. "What are you talking about?" he asked. I slowly walked forward with arms spread. "Stay away, man," he nervously warned, "I'll shoot." I just kept walking forward, emotionless and cold. 

"You don't have the guts," I spat, "For the first time in your sorry life you can't scare someone. I'm not tied to chair this time, Allen!" A tiny hint of recognition appeared on his face. "You gave me a lovely birthday present," I continued, "You had my best friend killed in cold blood, you raped and shot my girlfriend, killed me, in short Allen, you destroyed my life." 

As the memory came back, Allen began shaking so badly that he dropped the rifle. "It can't be," he croaked, "He dead! Jack Conners is dead!" I grinned at him with wild eyes. "That's right,' I said ", I am." I pulled out a Mack 10 and fired. The scumbag dropped to the grown and grabbed his rifle. He got off three shots that hit me in the arm and chest. It did enough damage to give him enough time to run, bail out a window, and jump into his car. But, that's how I planned it. I wanted to have some fun first. 

I ran out the front door and after the car. It must have going more than one hundred miles per hour, but my enhanced abilities let me keep perfect pace with it. I jumped into the back seat and drove a knife into his shoulder. Screaming in pain, Allen lost control of car and hit a tree. I pulled Allen from the car and the ripped knife from his shoulder. Growling like an enraged lion, I threw kicks and punches to Allen's body with unbridled viciousness. With every blow came an image from Allen's mind. Images of Allen beating Kelly night after night. Then images came that made my rage burn even brighter. Images of him making Kelly do things that I dare not write about even to this day. I pulled out my .38 and was about to shoot him when he made one last attempt to save himself. "Wait," he pleaded, "I'll give you anything you want. Just don't kill me!" I lowered my gun. "Anything?" I asked. He laughed a nervous laugh and cracked a smile. "Anything, man. Name it." I aimed the gun and gave him a stare as cold as ice. "Can you give me my life back?" Then I shot three times. 

As I walked away, I could feel my energy draining slowly. I was dying all over again. I walked and walked until I returned to my gravesite. I turned to the shadows and the Skull Cowboy appeared. "Nice work," he said. I supported myself against a tree. "Where do I go from here?" I asked wearily. The cowboy chuckled and pointed off into the distance. "With her of course." I turned and saw the most beautiful thing in the world. It was Kelly walking in my direction. She wore a white sleeveless gown that made her look like an angel from heaven. She put her arms around me and kissed me. Her voice was like the sweetest harp. "Let's go home." Our souls drifted into the crow and we began our journey to The Land of the Dead. I was going home with my angel. 

THE END 

CAST OF CHRACTERS(People they were based on)   
Jack…Joe Pearson   
Kelly…Kristen Callahan   
Allen…Keith Weaver   
Ray…Matt Curry   
Skull Cowboy… Christopher Lambert (Highlander guy)   
Jason…Peter Gennedy   
Eddie…A.J. Sanchez   


Note from the writer: I wrote this piece to for two reasons. The first was to explore how far my imagination could take me. The second was I wanted to be with the girl of my dreams even it was through the pages of a story. The characters of this story, with the exception of Skull Cowboy, are based on people I know. In reality though, Kristen is seeing a very nice, very sane guy and I wish them both well. I'd like to thank my family for encouraging me, A.J. Sanchez; I guy I look at as a brother, and last, but not least, James O'barr for creating "The Crow."   


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[][2]

   [1]: http://www.angelfire.com/or/mailo:merlyn@brokersys.com
   [2]: http://www.angelfire.com/or/crowffa/fanfic.html



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